Conceptually driven and visually rich tasks in texts and teaching practice: the case of infinite series

The study we report here examines parts of what Chevallard calls the institutional dimension of the students’ learning experience of a relatively under-researched, yet crucial, concept in Analysis, the concept of infinite series. In particular, we examine how the concept is introduced to students in texts and in teaching practice. To this purpose, we employ Duval's Theory of Registers of Semiotic Representation towards the analysis of 22 texts used in Canada and UK post-compulsory courses. We also draw on interviews with in-service teachers and university lecturers in order to discuss briefly teaching practice and some of their teaching suggestions. Our analysis of the texts highlights that the presentation of the concept is largely a-historical, with few graphical representations, few opportunities to work across different registers (algebraic, graphical, verbal), few applications or intra-mathematical references to the concept's significance and few conceptually driven tasks that go beyond practising with the application of convergence tests and prepare students for the complex topics in which the concept of series is implicated. Our preliminary analysis of the teacher interviews suggests that pedagogical practice often reflects the tendencies in the texts. Furthermore, the interviews with the university lecturers point at the pedagogical potential of: illustrative examples and evocative visual representations in teaching; and, student engagement with systematic guesswork and writing explanatory accounts of their choices and applications of convergence tests

Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 4 in Ugandan Children and Their Mothers

In Kampala, Uganda, in 2001, hepatitis C virus antibodies were found in 27 (4%) of 603 children and in 62 (12%) of 525 of their mothers. However, only ≈10% of positive results were confirmed by reverse transcription–PCR, which suggests frequent false-positive results or viral clearance. All sequenced types were genotype 4

Absence of RNA-binding protein FXR2P prevents prolonged phase of kainate-induced seizures.

Status epilepticus (SE) is a condition in which seizures are not self-terminating and thereby pose a serious threat to the patient's life. The molecular mechanisms underlying SE are likely heterogeneous and not well understood. Here, we reveal a role for the RNA-binding protein Fragile X-Related Protein 2 (FXR2P) in SE. Fxr2 KO mice display reduced sensitivity specifically to kainic acid-induced SE. Immunoprecipitation of FXR2P coupled to next-generation sequencing of associated mRNAs shows that FXR2P targets are enriched in genes that encode glutamatergic post-synaptic components. Of note, the FXR2P target transcriptome has a significant overlap with epilepsy and SE risk genes. In addition, Fxr2 KO mice fail to show sustained ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by KA and present reduced burst activity in the hippocampus. Taken together, our findings show that the absence of FXR2P decreases the expression of glutamatergic proteins, and this decrease might prevent self-sustained seizures

Prognostic and theranostic applications of positron emission tomography for a personalized approach to metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer

Metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) represents a condition of pro-gressive disease in spite of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), with a broad spectrum of mani-festations ranging from no symptoms to severe debilitation due to bone or visceral metastatization. The management of mCRPC has been profoundly modified by introducing novel therapeutic tools such as antiandrogen drugs (i.e., abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide), immunotherapy through sipuleucel‐T, and targeted alpha therapy (TAT). This variety of approaches calls for unmet need of biomarkers suitable for patients’ pre‐treatment selection and prognostic stratification. In this sce-nario, imaging with positron emission computed tomography (PET/CT) presents great and still unexplored potential to detect specific molecular and metabolic signatures, some of whom, such as the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), can also be exploited as therapeutic targets, thus combining diagnosis and therapy in the so‐called “theranostic” approach. In this review, we per-formed a web‐based and desktop literature research to investigate the prognostic and theranostic potential of several PET imaging probes, such as18F‐FDG,18F‐choline and68Ga‐PSMA‐11, also covering the emerging tracers still in a pre‐clinical phase (e.g., PARP‐inhibitors’ analogs and the radioligands binding to gastrin releasing peptide receptors/GRPR), highlighting their potential for defining personalized care pathways in mCRPC

Towards an EU Charter of the Fundamental Rights of Nature

This Study aims to set a framework for the legal recognition of the Rights of Nature in the EU legal order, as a prerequisite for a different and improved relationship between human beings and Nature. This aim should be possibly accomplished through the development of a EU Charter on Fundamental Rights of Nature. Initially, the Study shows the role of Rights of Nature with respect to environmental protection goals and addresses the reasons why current EU Environmental Law is failing to deliver the required level of nature protection (Section 2). Subsequently, the Study assesses how the "Rights of Nature" may help to overcome the failures of environmental law. To this end, four paradigmatic cases are proposed and analysed (Section 3). Based on the findings of this analysis, the strategic milestones required to achieve genuine ecosystem protection are identified and presented (Section 4). Finally, the possibility of introducing a Charter of the Rights of Nature in the EU legal system, with its basic principles, recommendable features and proposed pathway is discussed (Sections 5, 6 and 7)

Nuclear accumulation of mRNAs underlies G4C2-repeat-induced translational repression in a cellular model of C9orf72 ALS

A common feature of non-coding repeat expansion disorders is the accumulation of RNA repeats as RNA foci in the nucleus and/or cytoplasm of affected cells. These RNA foci can be toxic because they sequester RNA-binding proteins, thus affecting various steps of post-transcriptional gene regulation. However, the precise step that is affected by C9orf72 GGGGCC (G4C2) repeat expansion, the major genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is still poorly defined. In this work, we set out to characterise these mechanisms by identifying proteins that bind to C9orf72 RNA. Sequestration of some of these factors into RNA foci was observed when a (G4C2)31 repeat was expressed in NSC34 and HeLa cells. Most notably, (G4C2)31 repeats widely affected the distribution of Pur-alpha and its binding partner fragile X mental retardation protein 1 (FMRP, also known as FMR1), which accumulate in intra-cytosolic granules that are positive for stress granules markers. Accordingly, translational repression is induced. Interestingly, this effect is associated with a marked accumulation of poly(A) mRNAs in cell nuclei. Thus, defective trafficking of mRNA, as a consequence of impaired nuclear mRNA export, might affect translation efficiency and contribute to the pathogenesis of C9orf72 ALS

Surgical resection is superior to TACE in the treatment of HCC in a well selected cohort of BCLC-B elderly patients—A retrospective observational study

Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. Liver transplantation (LT) and surgical resection (SR) are currently the primary treatments with curative intent. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds of patients are elderly and, therefore, excluded from LT; while, according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system, SR should only be offered to a small group of patients with early stage HCC. The identification in stage B of an intermediate subgroup of patients that fulfill the criteria for surgery may play an important role in the implementation of potentially curative treatments. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually develops in cirrhotic liver, with high recurrence rates. However, considering its increasing detection in non-cirrhotic liver, the choice of treatment assumes particular relevance. This study aimed to investigate outcomes of patients among BCLC stages and enrolled for surgical resection (SR) according to a more complex evaluation, to establish its safety and efficacy. A total of 186 selected HCC patients (median age 73.2 yrs), submitted to SR between January 2005 and January 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Of which, 166 were staged 0, A, B according to the BCLC system, while 20 with a single large tumor (>5 cm) were classified as stage AB. No perioperative mortality was recorded; complications occurred in 48 (25.80%) patients, and all but two were Clavien-Dindo grade I-II. Median follow-up was 9.2 years. Subsequently, 162 recurrent patients (87,1%) were selected for new treatments. Comparable overall survival rates (OS) were observed at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years in 0, A, B and AB stages (p = 0.2). Eventually, the BCLC-B group was matched to 40 BCLC-B patients treated (2015-2021) with TACE. Significant differences in baseline characteristics (p <0.0001) and in OS were observed at 1 and 3 years (p <0.0001); a significant difference was also observed in oncological outcomes, in terms of the absence, residual, or relapse of disease (p <0.05). Surgery might be a valid treatment in HCC for patients affected by chronic liver disease in a condition of compensation, up to BCLC-B stage. Surgical indication for liver resection in case of HCC should be extensively revised